Lieutenant General H Steven Blum’s Address
National Governors Association Winter Meeting
February 22, 2004
Governor Kempthorne and distinguished Governors of the States and Territories
of the United States of America, thank you for the opportunity to address you
today.
Those are the faces of America’s heroes, the men and women of your Army and
Air National Guard.
Because the framers of our
Constitution clearly recognized the
difference between a nation of
federated states and a nation of
states united and they consciously
chose the latter … We are the United
States of America.
And as a result, today, you gather
here, not only as Governors, but also
as Commanders-in-Chief.
Your role as Commander-in-Chief of
the National Guard flows from the
belief that the Governor is always responsible to and for the people of the State,
to include the command and control of the constitutionally established militia, the
modern day National Guard.
Each of you, as Commander-in-Chief, plays a vital role in ensuring the National
Guard can perform full spectrum missions both at home and around the globe.
Our 460,000 citizen soldiers and airmen thank you for your resolute support—for
them and their families, for their States and for our great Nation.
Your National Governors Association has developed several policy positions,
which directly or indirectly affect the National Guard. I come before you today to
address what the National Guard is doing to meet your concerns.
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The past 2 ½ years since Sep 11th have clearly shown that the National Guard
operates across the full spectrum of national security missions. We simply
cannot and should not be able to go to war without the National Guard – and we
didn’t!
From close quarters combat (including seven infantry battalions and special
operations forces) deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan . . . and, we are deploying
three more full combat brigades next month; to international peacekeeping in
Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Sinai; to airport and border security and critical
infrastructure protection here in the United States; and all the while,
simultaneously responding to calls from you, the Governors, for Homeland
Defense and support of Homeland Security operations. In every WMD scare,
major counter-narcotics operation and in forest fires, flooding, blizzards,
tornadoes, and hurricanes, you have seen the value of the National Guard.
Today’s Guard is not the Guard of the past. Throughout our Nation’s history,
National Guard service has always been honorable. But today, the Guard’s
mission has shifted from a Strategic Reserve built on a Cold War deterrence
construct to an Operational Reserve that must be capable of joint and
expeditionary operations.
Any past discussion of National Guard irrelevance is gone—the National Guard is
critically essential to our States and our Nation. At today’s current employment
rate, within the next thirty-six months, eighty percent of your National Guard will
be “combat veterans”, as well as “Homeland Security” veterans.
Our Nation is at war and so is your National Guard. In combat, the performance
of our soldiers and airmen has been magnificent. Some would tell you that you
cannot distinguish them from their active counterparts. I disagree. They clearly
aren’t as good…They are better! They bring civilian acquired skills and life
experiences unmatched by their active counterparts and are even more effective
because of this. They are America’s home team. And, they bring your
communities and those values to the fight.
Here at home, at the State level, the battle lines between Homeland Security and
Homeland Defense are indistinguishable. Governors count on the Guard to be
the first military responder. Your National Guard must be able to support your
requirements on a no-notice, immediate basis, and respond with the right
capabilities.
Governors have told me that they want to ensure that they have sufficient forces
and the right capabilities in their National Guard to meet the requirements of both
the Federal warfight and a wide array of potential State mission needs.
Governors have asked that we ensure they have sufficient forces in their State
with the right capabilities for a timely response.
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In addition, Secretary Rumsfeld has tasked me to adapt the National Guard to
better support the War on Terror, Homeland Defense, and Homeland Security. To
do this, we are transforming. Transformation is a state of mind. It is about how
we think, organize, train, and approach the future. It is how we employ our citizen
soldiers and airmen, their units, equipment, and capabilities in new and more
effective ways.
We are transforming our headquarters and capabilities and shaping our future.
We are organizing to function in peacetime, and fight in wartime, in a joint,
interagency, intergovernmental, and multi-national environment.
To date, your Adjutants General have consolidated 162 stovepipe headquarters
organizations into 54 Standing Joint Force Headquarters. In times of emergency,
your Standing Joint Force Headquarters provides for rapid response and better
integration of National Guard assistance from your neighboring States through
existing Emergency Mutual Assistance Compacts (EMAC).
If a Governor requests Federal forces, these standing Joint Force Headquarters
provide for reception and seamless integration of Federal military forces.
Additionally, the standing Joint Force Headquarters provide improved access to
all Department of Defense assets within your State or Territory, should they be
needed.
I ask your support for legislation proposed by the Department of Defense to
expand the authority of Title 32 of the US Code. The proposal would permit
expanded use of federally funded National Guard forces, under the respective
Governor’s control, for Homeland Defense and support for Homeland Security
operations. This is the best of both worlds for all concerned.
Commitment to
Governors
 Provide sufficient capabilities under state
control
 Ensure appropriate capabilities/unit mix
 Provide a more predictable model for
operational rotations
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You need to know that your National
Guard leadership is committed to:
- Transforming the Guard into a more
joint and effective organization from
top to bottom;
- Meeting the needs of our elected
and uniformed State and Federal
leaders;
- Developing maximum readiness
across the full spectrum of
requirements - from the myriad
homeland security missions to the
full-scale warfight overseas;
- and ensuring the mandate to be able
to seamlessly operate in State and Federal intergovernmental and interagency
roles.
We will balance our forces, focusing on the right force mix and the right kinds of
units with the right capabilities in every State and Territory. We will effectively
leverage existing forces and capabilities. We will streamline forces and
organizations, and we will create or change forces to meet today’s reality and
tomorrow’s threats.
We must develop a predictive deployment model with an end-state goal that
ensures the force is managed to permit approximately 25% to be deployed to the
warfight; with up to another 25% training to replace those already deployed; and
ensuring that a minimum of 50% (and up to 75%) remains available to the
Governor for state missions, Homeland Defense, and support for Homeland
Security operations.
Today, this is not always possible. Some units must be converted from structure
that is no longer relevant to structure that has the right capabilities for both the
State and Federal mission. This rebalancing will take several years to complete,
and we have already begun this process. This will be a collaborative process and
your National Guard and your Adjutants General are full participants.
We will do what is right for America.
First, because it is our solemn
obligation to do so, and, second,
because the security, peace and
freedom of our citizens and our
Nation are at stake.
Principles
 Do what is right for America
 Remain the Constitutionally based, dualmissioned, citizen militia (Art. 1, Sec. 8,
Cl. 15 & 16 US Const.)
We must remain the constitutionally
based citizen-militia that serves our
States and Nation so well, in both
peace and in war.
 Security and defense of our homeland here
AND abroad is Mission #1
 Transform as we operate and prepare for the
future
National Security starts with
homeland security. Homeland
defense is Mission One whether it’s on American soil or in overseas combat. I
consider the overseas fight to be “the homeland defense away game” or
homeland defense in depth.
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We saw the need to transform the National Guard for maximum utility in the war
against terrorism. America insists on a reliable, ready, relevant and accessible
National Guard.
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Today’s Guardmember, the 21st Century Minuteman, must be available to deploy
at a moment’s notice to defend the nation, at home or abroad. The Nation
expects no less of us.
In the folder before you is a one-page paper depicting the employment of your
National Guard. It is a snapshot of the percentage of your force that is presently
deployed. The numbers vary daily by state and have ranged as high as 75% of
one state’s National Guard being deployed. Governors and Adjutants General
have told me this is unacceptable. Nationally, today, approximately 25% of the
National Guard is called to duty as part of the global war on terrorism.
The end-state goal will take some time to achieve, but when accomplished, it will
provide you, the Commanders-in-Chief, the maximum possible capabilities at
your disposal for state missions, Homeland Defense and support for Homeland
security missions. This model will ensure that no Governor is left without
sufficient capabilities in the State.
Full Spectrum Availability
Model & Goals
• Approximately 50% of
your National Guard force
will remain available to
you as the Governor for
State missions and
Homeland Defense/
Security missions
• Approximately 25% is in
intensive training
preparing to deploy
• 25% (+/-) of force is
currently deployed and not
available
12 to 18
Months
36 to 48
Months
25%
50%
We start from the position that you
need, at a minimum, 50% of your force
in state and available to you on call,
and, that force must possess
adequate capabilities.
Mobilized &
Deployed
Forces
With the current level of ongoing
operations, we must assume that
approximately 25% of the force will be
25%
18 to 24
in intensive training for deployment,
Months
to replace those Guard forces
THE MODEL’S GOAL IS 1 ARMY GUARD ROTATION EVERY SIX
currently serving. Finally, we
YEARS and 1 AIR GUARD DEPLOYMENT EVERY 15 MONTHS
recognize and must program for the
current level of operations, and plan accordingly.
Homeland Defense
Homeland Security
Enhanced Pool
Intensive Training
Getting Ready
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DDNGA22Feb2004
To get to this end-state we are going through a top-to-bottom rebalancing
nationwide. It will result in more evenly distributed burden sharing throughout
the Guard, enhanced capabilities in the National Guard of each state, and a better
level of predictability for when the forces may be needed.
For our soldiers, our families, and our employers, this model will establish a goal
of no more than one (1) substantial deployment every five or six years, and for
our airmen, one deployment every fifteen (15) months. This is important to
maintaining a ready, reliable, and accessible National Guard. It allows us to
ensure that we can sustain a National Guard for State or Federal missions now
and in the future.
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The left side of this slide depicts what
we believe are the military
capabilities a Governor needs to
meet the State mission, and the
Homeland Defense and Homeland
Security requirements faced by any
State or Territory. These key areas
include: Joint Force Headquarters,
Civil Support Team, Maintenance,
Aviation, Engineer, Medical,
Communications, Transportation,
and Security.
Full Spectrum Capabilities
Available to Governor
 Standing Joint Force
Headquarters








 Command, control, communications,
computers, intelligence, surveillance
& reconnaissance (C4ISR)
 Reception, staging, & onward
integration (RSOI)
Civil Support Teams
Maintenance
Aviation
Engineer (Urban Search & Rescue)
Medical (Mass Decon)
Communications
Transportation
Security
50%
Homeland Defense
Homeland Security
Up to
75% of
the
Guard is
available
Enhanced Pool
Intensive Training
Getting Ready
25%
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I cannot deliver this model today
because our Guard force structure is not properly balanced. It is not properly
balanced in the states or among the states, nor is it properly balanced among the
active, Guard and reserve.
We are working closely with your Adjutants General and the Army and Air Force
to transform the Guard for the future. Our transformation began with an
inventory of all existing forces. We will determine in concert with your Adjutant
General, the Army, Air Force and DOD, what capabilities are required.
We will examine the existing force and leverage those forces to deliver new and
enhanced capabilities—such as the mass decontamination capability from a
medical unit … and the urban search and rescue capability provided by engineer
forces. We will convert units overtaken by technology or strategic and tactical
needs. We will move to a modular, or “plug and play”, capabilities-based model.
This will not be easy. To varying extents, virtually all Guard units will be affected.
Some large units may be redistributed among several states. We do not foresee
a reduction in the number of people in the Guard. We do see a National Guard
with enhanced capabilities to perform all of its missions. We see a Guard with
ready and relevant forces. And, finally we see a force that is right for America,
right for the States and loyal to the principles on which it was founded.
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We are transforming the National
Guard in every domain – the way we
fight, the way we do business, and
the way we work with others – to be
the National Guard America needs
for tomorrow
I would like to once again thank you
for what you do in your role as
Commanders-in-Chief. It is an
awesome responsibility at anytime,
but particularly daunting while we
are at war.
I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to address this august body today.
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